Construction - Holy Cross Archives - Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Breaking Ground for Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School

Posted on September 12, 2010August 23, 2018 by admin

Despite the cool weather, the rain held off as many gathered to take part in the historic groundbreaking ceremony for Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School. Under brilliant sunshine, staff from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board congregated alongside students, Principals and Parent Council Chairs from Corpus Christi, St. Theresa and St. Christopher to celebrate the first steps towards the creation of Holy Cross. Invited dignitaries included M.P.P. Rick Bartolucci and Mayor Rodriguez of which both had the opportunity to address the crowd about the importance of this mementous event. In his speech, Bartolucci spoke to the students specifically about the fact that this was all about them as they are “the future of Sudbury, the future of Ontario and will be the future leaders of our great country.” Bartolucci also focused on the Catholic Board’s logo of “Schools to Believe In” as he told the group that by having the vision to build Holy Cross, the board is doing just that – truly building a school to believe in.

Mayor Rodriguez asked the students to begin to transfer all of their commitment and enthusiasm from their current school to the new Holy Cross. He explained that they will be “embarking on a whole new set of experiences as they will be the very first students at a brand new school.”

Board Chair Jody Cameron concluded the address as he spoke of the school bringing a “renewed sense of community for the south end students, parents and community partners.” As well, he focused on the importance of remembering that it is the “collective heart and soul of the students that will carry it forward, and make Holy Cross a green school that will service the south end community for decades to come and serve as a beacon of education.”

The event finished with the official sod-turning with several people taking part including Mayor Rodriguez, M.P.P. Bartolucci, Catherine McCullough, Director of Education, Paula Peroni, Trustee, Jody Cameron, Board Chair, Louis Belanger, Architect, and Laura Kuzenko, Holy Cross Principal.

Sudbury Catholic Board Decides to Build Holy Cross Catholic School, JK to Grade 6

Posted on December 15, 2009August 23, 2018 by admin

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board unanimously voted to make its newest high-tech green school a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 elementary school. The Board’s Trustees made the decision at the December 15, 2009 Board meeting.

The trustees decided the new Holy Cross Catholic School in Sudbury’s south end would be a separate Dual Track JK to Grade 6 School, located near St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. The new school will also include an early-learning daycare facility and a 4,000 square foot gymnasium.

“Holy Cross is going to be a fantastic new school,” says Board Chair Jody Cameron, “It will be high-tech, offering the latest in educational technology – while being an intimate, safe and personable environment for children ranging from our new full-day junior kindergarten program to Grade 6. It’s an exciting time.”

Meantime, the Catholic Board also decided it will offer Grade 7 to 12 programming next door at the existing St. Benedict’s Catholic Secondary School. This will include the construction of new classrooms and a third gymnasium. The renovations will also include a new “cafetorium” (which is a combination of a cafeteria and auditorium) to serve both the elementary and secondary students. It could seat as many as 500 people for concerts, plays, presentations, guest speakers, and other special events.

“These two projects are exciting for students, parents, and teachers in our Catholic schools,” says Board Director, Catherine McCullough, “It’s a great decision which will continue to enhance our community partnerships. These students who already benefit from programs like our nationally-recognized laptop learning program will now have even more educational tools at their fingertips to help them have a balanced educational experience and go on to succeed in life.”

The Board Trustees made the decision after extensive consultation with the school communities impacted. The new Holy Cross Catholic School will open in September 2011. The new and improved St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School will also be ready for the fall of 2011. Both projects combined are projected to cost $16.2-million with $11.7-million coming from the provincial government – while the Board has agreed to contribute $4.5-million.

Sudbury Catholic Board Names New High-Tech, Green Elementary School

Posted on December 9, 2009August 23, 2018 by admin

There was a celebratory as Trustees with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board voted to name Sudbury’s new elementary school. In the end, trustees selected the name “Holy Cross Catholic School.”

“The name ‘Holy Cross’ has significant meaning,” says Board Chair, Jody Cameron, “The four points of the cross represents the coming-together of four existing school communities into one new, learning community where our children will learn and make lifelong friends. This is a very exciting time for the Board and the expansion of Catholic Education in Sudbury’s south end.”

The decision comes after extensive consultation with students, teachers and parents from Corpus Christi, St. Christopher, St. Michael and St. Theresa schools — as well as St. Francis. The Board also got input from the local Parishes and community partners.

The new school will serve elementary students in the city’s south end and will be located on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School site. Catherine McCullough, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is equally pleased with the decision of the new school’s name.

McCullough emphasized, “Holy Cross Catholic School will have lower energy and utility costs than traditionally built schools, and the money saved can go back into the classrooms. That means more money to expand on programs such as our already-established, nationally-recognized Learning with Laptops program as well as full-day junior kindergarten which the Board announced just last month.”

“The naming of this new state-of-the-art school is only the beginning of the many new steps that our Board will be taking in creating this educational village in the city’s south end,” stated Board Chair Cameron, “The next step is to complete the architectural final plans for the design of the new school and get shovels in the ground.”

The Board will decide on the site plan for Holy Cross at next Tuesday’s regular Board meeting. The school will open in September 2011.

Sudbury Catholic Board Receives Ministry Funding to Build New Green School

Posted on June 10, 2009August 23, 2018 by admin

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board will be better positioned to address the accommodation needs of its students with an investment of $13.8 million from the McGuinty government for the construction of a new green school, Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci announced yesterday.

“Building and improving school facilities creates safe and engaging places for our students to learn and grow,” said Bartolucci. “This kind of significant education investment will go a long way to support students in Sudbury for generations to come.”

As part of a $500 million province-wide investment, the government is giving kids better places to learn by improving publicly funded schools.

Ontario is investing in a variety of ways to improve schools and make schools better places to learn. Projects include building new schools, expanding existing school facilities and reconfiguring school space to reduce energy costs. This also creates economic benefits, such as work for local companies and helps to support a stronger, greener economy.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board will be creating a new 550 pupil place, “dual track,” quality teaching and learning environment in the City’s South End, which will include a Multi-Media Technology Plaza, based on an education village model, one-site, JK to Grade 12 campus. Students from St. Christopher and all of the Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Francis and St. David Elementary Catholic Schools will be consolidated into the “new green school” on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School site. Students from St. Michael Catholic School will be consolidated into the St. Francis Catholic School (JK to Grade 6). St. Theresa and Corpus Christi Catholic School students will have the option of attending either St. Francis Catholic School or the new school (flexible boundaries). However, once the transition of the current students of Corpus Christi and St. Theresa is completed to either the new school or St. Francis, new boundaries will apply to new families.

Catherine McCullough Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is very pleased with the latest funding announcement from the McGuinty government. Joined by Trustees, Senior Administration, students, parents and staff, McCullough announced that teaching and learning through newly built 21st century schools will now have a whole new meaning. “With the support of the Provincial government we will have the ability to change the way a child learns,” said McCullough. “Our new green school will have lower energy and utility costs than traditionally built schools, and the money saved can go back into classrooms to our students.”

Sudbury Catholic Board to Build Green School in South End

Posted on May 26, 2009August 23, 2018 by admin

Trustees for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board voted in favour of closing four south end schools (St. Christopher, St. Theresa, Corpus Christi, and St. Michael Catholic Schools) at the May 26th Board meeting held at Tom Davies Square.

The motion to close the four schools, three of which are PTR Schools (Prohibitive to Repair),allows the Board to apply for Ministry funding to renovate St. Francis Catholic School and to build a new state of the art 550 pupil “Green” dual track (JK to Grade 8) school with a Multi-Media Technology Plaza in the City’s South End.

Students from Corpus Christi and St. Michael Catholic Schools will be consolidated into St. Francis Catholic School (JK to Grade 6)
while students from St. Christopher, St. Theresa and all of the Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Francis and St. David Elementary Schools will be consolidated into the new “green school” on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School site. Trustees also voted in favour of renovating St. David Catholic School with regular JK to Grade 6 programming to include further community partnerships aimed at the expansion of the current programming with a holistic service model.

With respect to the North/West Planning area, Trustees passed a motion to consolidate St. Mary Elementary School Grade 7 and 8 students and programming into St. Anne Elementary School commencing September 2009.

In her presentation to Trustees, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Catherine McCullough stated that after the Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) had completed its work and made its recommendations, it was incumbent upon her to provide a vision for the Board in both programming and capital expenditures. These recommendations recognized that the decision before Trustees revolved around the future of providing quality education and quality facilities for all of Sudbury’s Catholic students.

With respect to the South/Central Planning area, McCullough reiterated the following major points concerning the Director’s recommendations before the motions were considered by Trustees:

• The recommendations maintained the integrity of the accommodation review process. The supporting rationale provided by the Accommodation Review Committee guided the decision making process.

• JK to Grade 12 on the one site at St. Benedict CSS permits increased opportunities for professional development, teacher collaboration and staff specialization

• JK to Grade 12 on the one site at St. Benedict CSS creates more opportunities for cooperative education, peer tutoring, “fast tracking,” interventions for at risk and disengaged students, and seamless transition for French Immersion students wishing
regular programming

• Two large elementary schools (St. Francis and St. Benedict) with dual track programming are beneficial to the Board as it provides parents and students with more options

• A renovated St. David School would enhance partnerships with First Nations communities within the Board’s jurisdiction.

• The recommendations implement the Ministry of Education’s direction that effective programming must be viewed as a continuum that minimizes the number of times a student would transition as he or she progresses from JK to Grade 12. In fact, the JK to Grade 12
single campus concept would be unique to the South/Central community.

• A state of the art Green School will be fuly compliant with the Ontario Disabilities Act(ODA) with enhanced programming such as music, drama, theatre, technology, day care,be fore and after programs, and superior sports facility.

• The larger population of Grade 7 and 8 students and the proximity of the secondary school creates an opportunity for program enhancements

• Access to specialized facilities (technology areas, cafeteria, double-gym, sports programs and fields)

• Expansion of program offerings and flexible spaces to meet changing program needs

• Expansion of resources in classrooms and optimal learning opportunities for all students

• Interaction with a larger community learners

• Larger blocks of uninterrupted teaching time

• Expansion of co-curricular activities for all students

• Potential of enhanced partnerships with the City of Greater Sudbury

The Multi Media Resource Centre would provide equipment for students to have a more hands on style of interaction encouraging new learning opportunities. This Centre would enable the Board to provide both elementary and secondary students with 21st Century skills and learning opportunities directed toward all career pathways.

“The creation of a new “green school” and the renovations to St. Francis and St. David Catholic Schools will enhance educational programs within these facilities which will provide the students under our care with a Catholic education that is of the highest quality possible,” stated McCullough.